Catheter drape and wrap



United States Patent [72] Inventor Ramona R. Glttins 238 Sylvan Drive, Council Bluffs, Iowa 51501 [21] Appl. No. 703,960

[22] Filed Feb. 8, 1968 [45] Patented Nov. 24, 1970 [54] CATHETER DRAPE AND WRAP 4 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

3,343,534. 9/1967 Keoughan et al. 128/132 3,410,266 11/1968 Krzewinski et al. 128/132 3,421,502 l/l969 St. Clair 128/ 156 3,424,153 H1969 Lewis 128/132 Primary Examiner-Adele M. Eager Attorney-Henderson & Strom ABSTRACT: This invention pertains to a medical drape, adapted to provide a sterile field for performing a catheterization procedure and other medical and surgical procedures.

Another feature covered herein is a novel method of performing the catheterization procedure using the new drape. As a secondary feature, the drape also serves as a wrapping for storing the medical and surgical equipment in a sterile field prior to performance of the procedure. The drape, adapted to be draped over the patient, comprises a sterilizable, foldable sheet of material having an opening formed therein through which the procedure is performed and having graspable means disposed thereon for unfolding the material without contaminating the sterile field.

Patemed Nov. 24 170 INVENTOR 45 EAMoNA R. GITTINs BY 261% k I 3 ATTOQNEYS the method-anddrape hereinafter described.

. 1 CATHETER DRAPE AND WRAP BACKGROUNDQF ri-remveurtou The catheter drape is a medical supply used to provide a sterile field for the eatheterization procedure. The equipment required to perform thecatheterization procedure normallyincludes one or more drapes; a pair of powdered, cuffed, disposable gloves; a towel; an antiseptic; sponges or cotton balls; a lubricant, a catheter, a tube and a collection bag; and a specimen bottle. This'equipment can be provided in'a sterile package by a medical supply house or'assembled, packaged and sterilized by the doctor or hospital.

The present method of preparing a hospitalized patient and performing the catheterization procedure includes the following steps: obtaining the .steriliz'ed equipment, as described hereinabove; placing a screen or partition .around the bed of must be used as a-pocket is provided therein, thus adding to the complexity of the drape, the cost of manufacture; and substantiall y .reducingth'e simplicity and ease of manufacture. Furthermore, pockets and multiple layers of material affect the adaptabilityof thedrape as to resterilization and reuse.

SUMMARY In summary, this invention is a drape for medical and surgical procedures comprising a rectangular, foldable sheet of materialadapted to completely cover the abdomen and legs of the patient and the area of the bed between the legs of the patient, thus providing a sterile field. The material has an open- 7 ing formed off center therein, which provides an entry through the patient to insure privacy for the patient; instructing the patient concerning the procedure; positioning the patient; un- 1 covering the patient; draping the-patients abdomen with a bath blanket; placing the catheter equipment package at the foot of the bed between the legs of the patient; unwrapping the equipment;donningxthe sterilized gloves, placing one of the sterilized drapes over the abdomen of thepatient; placing another of the sterilized drapes under thehips and between the legs of the patient, two drapes may be used for this pur-L pose; cleansing the patient; lubricating I the catheter;

catheterizing the patient; removing the catheter, the drapes and the bath blanket; recovering the patient; removing the screen; disposing of the contaminated materials; and recording the entire procedure.

Commercially available, sterile disposable cathe'terization O which completely covers all exposed areas of a patient.

which the'procedure can be performed yet provides minimum exposure of the patient and a maximum field of sterility. Graspable means are disposed on one side thereof. opposite the side required to be kept sterile, for positioning the drape. The drape also, as a secondary feature, serves as a wrap or package for containing the sterile equipment required for the procedure. I

Furthermore, utilization of this drape substantially reduces the number of drapes required tomaintain a sterile field and protects the privacy of the patient, thus providing a new and simpler method of preparing the patient and performing the medical or surgical procedure. 7

It istherefore an object of this invention to provide a novel medical and surgical drape.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a drape A' further object of this i'nve'ntio'n 'is"to "pro 'vide a drape which canbe unfolded, without contaminating one side.

thereof.

i Yetanother object of this invention is the provision of a drape having an opening'formed therein through which a surgical or medical procedure can be performed.

trays are normally packed with the gloves on top of the eq'uipment in the tray, thus assuring that the above procedure is followed.

The conventional procedure, hereinabove, described, often results in a contaminated field because the gloves are donned.

before draping. As. the patient is draped, the sterilized gloves on the hands of the, nurse can easily contact the patient and may become contaminated. The legs and rectal areaof the patient are exposed, thusbothdepriving the patient of maximum privacy and allowing for possible contamination in the event that either the gloves or equipment come in contact therewith.

In event of any of the equipment is dropped, it will more than likely contact a nonsterilized are of the patient or bed.

' The conventional method also requires unnecessary stepsand'equipment, in that the screen is not necessary if the patients body is not exposed, the novel drape of this invention can be used in place of two or'three drapesunder the old: method and the patient's privacy and a sterile field can be assured. Furthermore, the procedure can be accomplished more gracefully and efficiently with positive asepsis by utilization of The utilization of the novel drape of this invention provides coverage and privacy of all exposed'parts of the patient,-and maintains a sterile field in those areas in which the equipment is held and in those areas'in which the equipment may contact or fall during the procedure.

For example, a disposable surgical drape, as described in draping the patient, both'sides of the drape must be touched before sterile gloves are donned, thus contaminating the sterile field and furthermore, more than one layer of material Yet anotherobject of this invention isthe provision of a drape which is adaptedto serve as a wrapper for the equipment which is used for performing the medical or surgical procedure in which the'drape is used for maintaining a sterile field. v

Still another objectof this invention is the provision of a drape which provides a sterile field in all areas that an instruthem might contact'in event the doctoror nurse should drop same.-

Still a furtherobject 'of this invention is theprovision of a drape which isdraped overa patient before sterile gloves are donned by the nurse or doctor.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a method ,Still another object of this invention is the provision of a, drape which substantially reduces the length of time required to drapea patient, for a'surgical or medical procedure, furthermore the number of steps required to perform the procedure are reduced, only one drape is required, asepsis is provided, exposure of the patient is substantially eliminated, and .the'procedureis more gracefully and efficiently accom plished. I '7 v Yet another object of this invention is the provision of a drape which is extremely simple in construction, effective in use; economical to manufacture, andadapted for resteriliza tion and reuse.

BRIEF DESCRllTlON or Tl-lEDR'AWlNGS In the drawings, as hereinbelow described, a preferred embodiment of 'theinvention is shown, however various modifications. and alternate constructions can be made thereto without departing from'the true spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

' FIG. 1 is a perspective viewof the drape of this invention in a folded condition; I

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of a partially unfolded drape at a particular step in the unfolding process;

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings, the catheter drape of this invention is indicated generally at 10 in FIG. 5. The drape 10 is formedfrom a rectangular foldable sheet of material having an upper side 11 and a lower side 12 (FIG. I). A rectangular opening 13 is formed in the drape I offcenter of the center thereof with the edges of the opening disposed parallel with the corresponding edges of the drape, as best noted in FIG. 5. Secured to the lower side 12 near each corner of the drape are graspable tabs 14 (FIGS. 1-4) or flaps. An equipment tray 16 (FIG. is remov'ably disposed on the top side 11.

A plurality of parallel fold lines 17 through 27 (FIG. 5), extending diagonally to the edges of the drape l0, divide the drape into a plurality of horizontally disposed panels 28 through 39 The first fold line 17 is disposed substantially adjacent the top corner of the drape, while the fold line 27 is disposed near the bottom corner 40 of the drape. A second set of fold lines 42, near the left corner 41, through 47, near the right-corner 48, extending perpendicular to the horizontal fold lines, divides the drape into a plurality of vertically disposed panels 52 through 58.

v The equipmenttray 16 holds the equipment-(no t shown) drape of this invention, the equipment would consist of a catheter, a tube, a collection bag, an antiseptic, sponges or cotton balls, forceps, a lubricant, a specimen bottle and a pair of powdered, disposable gloves. Prior to the performance of v the catheterization procedure, the equipment must be collected, placed in the tray, wrapped in the drape and sterilized.

To wrap the equipment tray in the drape, the following procedure is followed: I

The drape is placed on a table with the top side 11 facing up; r

The equipment tray 16 is placed on the drape on the panel i 37-55, near the lower corner as viewed in FIG. 5;

The drape is grasped at the fold line 24 and folded over the top of the tray with the panel 36-55 on top of the tray and the panel35-55 on top of the panel 36-55;

The fold line 22 is then grasped and folded over the tray with the panel 34-55, having the opening 13 therein, on top of the panel 35-55 and the panel 33-55 on top of the panel The fold line is then grasped and folded over with the panel 32-55 on top of the panel 33-55 andthe panel 31- -55 on top ofthe panel 32-55;

The panel 30-55 is then folded over the panel 31-55 by folding at the fold line 19;

The drape is then folded at the foldlines 18 and 17 thus forming the drape, as viewed in FIG. 4, with the tap 14 on the 7 top end of the drape projecting upwardly therefrom;

The left'corner, as viewed in FIG. 4, is grasped and the I drape folded in accordion folds, starting at fold line 44, over 1 the tray with the tab I4 on the left corner partially projecting upwardly as' viewed in FIG. 3; I

The right corner (FIG-3) is folded over the tray in accordion folds, starting at the fold line 45,with the tab 14 on the right corner partially projecting upwardly'as viewed in FIG. 2;

normally required for a particulafmedical or surgical procedure. In the catheterization procedure utilizing the desired, the complete unit can be placed in an outer wrapper, however this step is unnecessary, as only the bottom side 12 of the drape is exposed to the exterior thus maintaining a sterile field for the top side 11 of the drape l0, and the equipment contained therein. a

It is to be noted that the fold lines depicted in FIG. 5 are determined by the size of the tray, thus for different sized trays the fold lines will vary in number-and location. However, it is necessary that the last fold for each corner must be provided to allow part of or all of the tab 14 thereon to be disposed on top to allow it to be grasped without touching any portion of the top side 11 of the drape 10.

l The procedure to be followed in performing a catheterizationon a patient utilizing the novel drape'of this invention is as follows: obtaining the sterilized equipment wrapped in the drape 10 as described hereinabove; instructing the patient concerning the procedure; positioning the patient; uncovering the patient; placing the sterilized package between the legs of the patient at substantially the foot of the bed; grasping the tab 14 near the bottom corner 40 and partially unfolding the bottom portion of the drape by disposing the bottom corner at the foot of the bed; grasping the tab 14 near the right hand corner 48 and unfolding the right portion of the drape across the right leg of the patient and completely covering same; grasping the tab 14 near the left corner 41 and unfolding the left portion of the drape across the left leg of the patient and completely covering same; grasping the tab 14 near the top corner 15 and unfolding the top portion of the drape across the abdomen of the patient; positioning the drape by grasping one of the tabs and sliding the drape to a position wherein the area to be operated on isdirectly under the opening 13; donning the sterilized gloves; cleansing the patient; lubricating the catheter, catheterizing the patient; removing the catheter and the drape; recovering the patient, and recording the entire procedure.

The above procedure of draping the patient is accomplished without touching the sterile or upper side 11 of the drape I0 because only the lower side 12 and the tabs 14 are touched by the nurse or doctor. Furthermore, the sterile gloves are not donned until the draping procedure is completed. It will be noted that, by placing the drape diagonally on the patient, all uncovered areas of the patient are draped and only the sterile portion of the drape can be contacted by the nurse or the equipment. This latter feature saves considerable time for the nurse, because if a sterile item is dropped it will land in the field of operation which is sterile, thus preventing lost time in replacing or obtaining new sterile equipment or items.

This drape, in addition to being adapted for use in the catheterization procedure, can also be used for vaginal examinations, spontaneous abortions, papanicolaou smears,

rectal and lower colon examinations and other similar type procedures.

Although a preferred embodiment of this invention has been described and disclosed hereinabove, it is to be remembered that various modifications and alternate constructions can be made thereto without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Iclaim:

1. A drape for covering a patient during a medical procedure to provide a sterile operating field comprising: a foldable, sterilizable sheet of sufficient size to substantially cover the patient, having an upper side and a lower side, said sheet having an opening formed therein through which the procedure is performed; and four elongated graspable tabs, each secured to said sheet lower side inwardly of a corner thereof, wherein said tabs lie flat against said sheet and do not extend outwardly of the edges of said sheet.

2. A drape as defined in claim 1 wherein said tabs are secured on both ends thereof to said sheet lower side.

3. A drape as defined in claim 2 wherein said sheet is folded in accordion folds from each corner toward the center with the last fold of each corner disposed with said tab disposed outwardly to allow it to be grasped without touching any portion of said sheet upper side.

patient and said opening is rectangular with the edges thereof disposed parallel with the corresponding edges of said sheet. 

